The invention relates to a hinge with an adjusting device for adjusting the position of an elongated hinge arm which is mounted on a base plate and is connected to another hinge part, for example a hinge cup by means of articulated hinge links or the like, the base plate having a mounting plate for abutting a furniture side wall in the mounted position and the hinge arm being adjustable by said adjusting device in a plane perpendicular to said mounting plane.
A hinge of this type is known from WO 86/02402.
When mounting such a hinge it is sufficient to hang the hinge arm, which is provided with the intermediate piece, on to the mounting plate and to tilt the hinge arm and the intermediate piece towards the side wall of the piece of furniture, whereby the intermediate part is automatically arrested on the mounting plate. Mounting and demounting of the hinge arm on the mounting plate can be done manually without use of a tool. However, for adjusting the position of the hinge arm with respect to the mounting plate a screw driver is needed.
The hinge arm is held on the intermediate piece by means of two screws. One of the screws has a head which is anchored in the intermediate piece and a threaded shaft which is held in the female thread of the hinge arm. By means of this screw an adjustment of the hinge arm in the direction perpendicular to the side of a piece of furniture can be achieved.
The second screw is a clamping screw which clamps the hinge arm to the intermediate piece and which projects through an elongated hole in the hinge arm. A possibility for adjusting the position of the hinge arm in the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture is determined by this elongated hole.
For adjustment of the front end of the hinge arm in a direction perpendicular to the side wall of a piece of furniture first the clamping screw has to be loosened and then the second screw, which is the side adjustment screw is turned. After the side adjustment of the hinge arm is accomplished the clamping screw is tightened again.
A disadvantage with conventional hinges is that when the side adjustment screw is turned not only the position of the front end of the hinge arm in a plane perpendicular to the side wall of the piece of furniture is altered, the hinge arm is also displaced in the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture. Even if this displacement may be only in the range of less than a millimeter it can result in not correct opening and closing of the door.
European patent EP 0 595 045 B1 discloses a hinge whereby guides are provided between the hinge arm and an intermediate piece such that with every pivot movement of the hinge arm relative to the base plate the movement of the hinge arm in the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture is automatically corrected so that in the end, the front and of the hinge arm remains in the same position with respect to the direction of the depth of the piece of furniture.